Q: Since the same organisms can cause both conditions, which comes first: athlete's foot or toenail fungus?

Stewart 2

Stewart 2

A. Athlete’s foot is a fungal infection of the foot otherwise known as tinea pedis. This fungal infection is often a mild condition that can, in rare instances, erupt into a full blown bacterial infection requiring either oral or intravenous antifungal and antibacterial medications. Early signs of athlete’s foot include redness, scaling of the skin, irritation, small blisters and sometimes even itching. These symptoms can occur on any skin surface of the foot but are most commonly seen in between the toes where moisture gets trapped allowing the fungus to grow. This form of athlete’s foot is known as intertrigo and is best recognized by a white breakdown of the skin in between the toes – usually between the fourth and fifth toes specifically.

Tinea pedis infections usually result from exposure to fungus in the environment (carpets, sheets, showers and shoes). A less commonly recognized cause of these foot infections is fungal toenails. Fungal toenails expose socks and shoes to a "shedding" of high concentrations of the same organisms that are known to cause athlete’s foot infections. If you are experiencing recurring bouts of tinea pedis you may want to have your toenails evaluated by a NovoNail professional (NovoNail.com) to see if they are harboring these organisms.